Nice Foundation is a feminist research and development organization
Our Profile
Profile
The Nice Foundation is a rights-based feminist Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Bangladesh working on a range of Human rights, refugee and forcibly displaced communities, environmental and educational issues, and seeking to reduce inequalities and social disadvantage. We focus primarily on women, children, youth, adolescents, and people with disabilities, gender-diverse communities, religious & ethnic minority groups, and the Refugee community.
Background
A batch of young women from the Dalit community as well as NGO women workers founded the Nice Foundation in 2005, following the completion of a research project by ‘Research Initiatives Bangladesh’[1]. M Mujibur Rahman (who remains an honorary Secretary), Ms Dorieke Goodijk (Wageningen University, Holland), a Volunteer and a batch of young women of the Dalit Hindu Kawra (pig farmer) community who are one of the neglected Communities in the World because of their profession has initiated this organisation to promote feminism, ensure social justice, fight for inequalities and reduce the disharmony within the religious minorities to co-exist with peace. Mr. Colin Wilby, a VSO volunteer, the UK was the first individual donor who helped the community apply to NGO Affairs Bureau for registration. After four years of working voluntarily with a network of NGOs, we achieved NGO Affairs Bureau (to receive foreign grants) registration in 2009 from the Government of Bangladesh. We also received our first major international funding – a two-year grant from the Global Fund for Women (USA) to develop our work with Kawra women. Since then, the Foundation has been delivering integrated services to a large number of people in the most marginalised communities in Bangladesh.
Since 2017 after Rohingya influx in August, we have been working with national NGOs to immediate support to the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals besides the UN agencies and the Bangladesh Government. Our interventions are in the areas of food, shelter, site management, Livelihood and skill development, research on social cohesion, baseline study of different national and Local NGOs and capacity-building support to local NGOs as part of the localization process. Our organisation is a member of Core Humanitarian Standard – a PSEA alliance and NGO Platform in Cox’sbazar. Our Honorary Secretary is a Steering Committee member for the last 3 years in NGO Platform Cox’sbazar.
Our main Programme themes are:
There are Eight themes to our work:
- Human rights and good governance: campaigns on minorities’ rights, consumers’ rights, women and, children trafficking, reduce early marriage, countering gender-based violence, gender justice, SRHR, menstrual Hygiene management, and working with Rohingya refugee communities in Cox’s Bazar, tobacco control, swine flu, pandemic and dengue fever, strengthening local government. Beside, strengthening the Women Human Rights Defenders and strengthening the SoWFen (Southern Women Feminist Network).
- General Education and Vocational skill development: pre-school, school-age and adult programmes and civil rights education, Skill development Training for marginalized and refugee community on Computer, sewing and dress making, plumbing, masonry, Handicrafts and carpentry.
- Humanitarian Response: Emergency support to the victims, linking with other service providers, programme for Refugee and IDPs
- Environment, climate change and disaster management: response to emergency, developing saline-tolerant agriculture, water and sanitation provision, disaster planning and management, factors which lead to conflict or to co-operation in the face of the pressures of climate change; floating gardens (pro-poor, organic, climate-suitable);
- Networking and advocacy: building the capacity of local NGOs, CSO, CBOs, developing the role of community organisations in managing risk, lobbying, advocacy at the grassroots level, policy level dialogues, feminist movement, mass awareness
- Research and development; Women’s empowerment and social capital of the Rohingyas: empirical research of refugee women in Bangladesh, Social research, social cohesion study in collaboration with National and International Universities
- Economic empowerment and wellbeing: supporting the community especially women of the minority community with their livelihoods, their children and their health and well-being;
- Water sanitation and health improvement: support to ethnic and minority communities, poor, disadvantaged and remote coverage
Vision
Our vision is to build a society that is congenial to the economic and socio-cultural development of socially underprivileged communities, especially Dalit, women, children, youth and Forcibly displaced and excluded people.
Mission
To create opportunities and enable underprivileged communities - especially Dalit, women, children, and excluded people – to access sustainable resource management, livelihood security, gender equity, and human rights.
Our approach is participatory action research
We see all our activities in feminist lenses. Our approach has always been to empower communities to organise themselves and assert their rights, and use their skills to develop their livelihoods, educate their children and look after those not able to look after themselves. We can help with organisation, education, capacity-building and training; we can bring in resources to kick start change; and we can campaign and influence those whose decisions determine the communities’ future. But it is the communities themselves who are best placed to collect their own data and call upon government officials or development partners to provide the services and assistance that will facilitate the implementation of their plan.
Gaining the trust of the communities with which we work is a key component of success. Trust can only be built up over time by providing consistent and reliable services and earning the respect of the people we work for. Though it is like NGOs that project funding is for a limited period, we always commit to communities on a long-term basis. Responsibility and respect gained from, and given to, communities play a most important role in the sustainability of the organisation.
Our Target Groups:
- Racial, ethnic or indigenous minorities (Hindu Dalit, Barua, Munda, Mahota)
- Single mother, divorced, disadvantaged women
- People living with disabilities
- Youths , Adolescent girls
- People with diverse sexual orientation and gender identities
- People living with HIV/AIDS
- Internally displaced, migrant and refugee people (Rohingya, Forcibly displaced community)
Note: We also cover high discrimination, gender inequalities and gender-based violence victims.
Our Coverage: Since 2005 we have covered more than 110,000 people directly and 550,000 indirectly including Rohingya refugees. Out of that 80% are women and children.
Our strength: We have more than 50 regular staffs, own Head office building, 10 Branch Offices including Rohingya response area.
Geographical Coverage
To date, we have operated in the following parts of Bangladesh:
Governance
The Nice Foundation is governed by its legally- and democratically-formed management committees:
- General Committee: A 51-member General Committee is the supreme authority of Nice Foundation. Members include academics, social workers, other professionals and housewives. Membership is permanent unless it is vacant constitutionally which is formally approved by the registration authority.
- Governing Body: The General Committee elects seven members of the Governing Body for a five-year term. This meets quarterly and is accountable for monitoring performance, developing policy, leadership and budget management. Members also act as voluntary workers.
- General management: The General Secretary acts as an honorary Executive Director. Two co-ordinators are responsible for all programme activities. The Chief Accountant maintains accounts following the approved financial manual. There are five operational cells (finance, HR, Procurement, Gender, Internal Audit).
- Staff: There are generally between 20 and 30 staff working in different projects. Professor Paul Thompson, Middlesex University (UK), worked with Nice Foundation as a volunteer for one year. Colin Wilby has been promoting Nice Foundation from UK as an International Adviser.
Legal Status
The Nice Foundation is allowed to offer its services to the target beneficiaries by the Government of Bangladesh, operating via a legally-approved constitution. The organisation has legal authority to operate its activities all over the country through registration with relevant government agencies:
| Registration authority | Registration no. | Date |
| The Joint Stock Co. under the Society Act | Khulna/139 | 20 July 2005 |
| Bangladesh NGO Affairs Bureau | 2407 | 2 Feb 2009 Renewalupto 2029 |
| Bangladesh Department of Social Welfare | 1463 | 7 Feb 2012 |
| European Community Potential Applicant Data Online Registration (PADOR) | ERS-1701731303 | BD-2010 |
Constitution
The constitution of the Nice Foundation is formulated by the executive committee and adopted by the general members of Nice Foundation. The constitution of Nice Foundation is legally approved by the respective registration agencies of the Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh.
Accounts
There is a standard accounts manual. The accounting system operates on an accrual basis and double-entry book-keeping. Cash and bank books are regularly prepared by each part of the organisation.
Banking
In line with the constitution, all funds are deposited in banks recognized by the Government of Bangladesh. The Secretary operates bank accounts, with other officers given prior approval of the Governing Body. Donor funding is through Sonali Bank, Daulatpur Branch, Khulna, SB A/C no. 34040144.
Auditing
Auditing works as the third eye of the organization. Both internal and external audit are conducted by the organization. Internal audits are conducted by the internal audit team selected by Governing Body. Though the internal audit team is guided by the Secretary, it works independently. A government- recognised audit firm conducts an external audit every year. The organization appoints an NGOAB-enlisted external auditor for auditing of the organization.
Appendix: Major Projects
| SL | Project Name | Donor | Duration[2] | Project Objectives |
| 1 | Health and vocational skills development for dalit communities in Dighalia | Project Bangladesh, USA | 2022-2025 | Providing health services and skills-development training for the dalit youths |
| 2 | Education and health support to Kawra children | AFMR Foundation, Bangladesh | 2019-2025 | Reducing drop-out of dalit Kawra schoolchildren; providing educational support to talented students |
| 3 | Dalit Kawra Women Development Project | Global Fund for Women, USA | 2019-2024 | Creating young women community leaders |
| 4 | Vulnerable group development project | Department of Women’s Affairs, Bangladesh | 2017-2024 | Reaching highly-disadvantagedrural women with food and training to enhance livelihoods and self- reliance |
| 5 | Tobacco control campaign | AFIB, Bangladesh | 2019-2025 | Campaign, advocacy, rally, and report publication on tobacco control |
| 6 | Sexual and reproductive health rights project | Water Aid, Bangladesh | On-going F from 2016 | Strengthening the SRHR network |
| 7 | Kindergarden school activities for dalit communities | Nice Foundation | On-going from 2020 | Improve education and reducing drop-out in kindergarden schools |
| 8 | Women’s empowerment and socialcapital of the Rohingyas: empirical research of refugee women in Bangladesh | Tohoku University, Japan | 2023 | Conducting a ruralfield survey at Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
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| 9 | Dalit women's livelihood development project | Bangladesh NGO Foundation | 2022-2023 | Improving livelihoods of Kawra women by providing sheep and training on sheep rearing |
| 10 | A comparative study on social cohesion between Rohingya and host communities in Cox’s Bazar | Tohoku University, Japan | 2023 | Collecting data on social cohesion and impact of influx of refugees into host communities |
| 11 | Bio-diversity conservation support to Dalit community | UBINIG, Bangladesh | 2018-2023 | Adaptive agriculture cultivation and saline-tolerant agriculture promotion |
| 12 | Strengthening the Human Rights Defenders Network Project | Médecins Sans Frontières, Netherlands/USA | 2020-2023 | Capacity building of human rights defenders; legal support to victims |
| 13 | Latrine installation for dalitKawra and Fisher communities | NGO Foundation, Bangladesh | 2020-2022 | Installation of modellatrines for dalit community in Dacope and Dighalia upazilas |
| 14 | Health and education development project in Kawra Para, Aronghata | Project Bangladesh, USA | 2019-2022 | Reducing the drop-out of dalit Kawra children from school |
| 15 | Lactating mothers’ programme | Department of Women’s Affairs, Bangladesh | 2018-2020 | Monitoring lactating mothers’ safety net activities |
| 16 | Kawra women’s capacity development project | Global Fund for Women, USA | 2017-20 | Developing the capacity of Kawra pig-rearing womenthrough skills and management training |
| 17 | Securing livelihoods through improving the Kawra pig-rearing skills | Netherlands Embassy through Blue Gold | 2016-18 | Research on concrete strategiesfor improving pig-rearing outputs, even in unfavourable conditions |
| 18 | Health and education development project Kawra children | Project Bangladesh, USA | 2011-18 | Increasing children’s enrolment in primary schooling, reducing drop-out rates, and improving children’s healththrough improved nutrition and food education at school |
| 19 | Kawra women’s livelihood development project | NGO Foundation, Bangladesh | 2017-18 | Improving the livelihoods of Kawra women through capacity building and technical training |
| 20 | Community-based adaptive learning in the management of conflict about natural resources in Bangladesh and Nepal | The Business Growth Fund, Middlesex University, UK | 2014-17 | Research to understand better the factors lead to conflict or co-operation in the light of the threat of climate change. |
| 21 | Minority women’s livelihood and child education development project | NGO Foundation, Bangladesh | 2014-17 | Reducing the rate of drop-out of Kawra primary schoolchildren and improving Kawra living standards. |
| 22 | Relief support to flood victims in North Bengal | Project Bangladesh, USA and Nice Foundation | 2017 | Providing food and education to flood-affected families |
| 23 | Promoting peace and co-existence in Bangladesh | Bandhu Social Welfare Society, Bangladesh | 2016 | Facilitating Kawra pig-rearing rights in a peaceful and cordial atmosphere |
| 24 | Kawra women's livelihood development project | NGO Foundation, Bangladesh | 2011-14 | Improving the livelihoods of extremely poor Kawra women through providing pigs and training on pig rearing |
| 25 | Distribution of plants to the poor communities in flood-plain areas | Project Bangladesh, USA | 2013 | Distribution of 1,000plants to 200 families to bolster flood defences in flood-prone areas |
| 26 | The Kawra women’s livelihood development project | NGO Foundation Bangladesh | 2008-11 | Improving livelihood of Kawra women by improving their capacity and financial means |
| 27 | Distribution of blankets to the Dalit poor in flood-prone areas | Project Bangladesh, USA | 2012 | Distribution of 500 blankets to families in need duringexceptionally cold weather |
| 28 | Adult education for dalit women | Gram Bangla Committee, Bangladesh | 2008-11 | Increasing literacy and empowering women within the family and more generally |
| 29 | Increasing attendance of at Kawra schools | Hope for the Children, UK | 2009-10 | Reducing the drop-out rate in pre- primary schools, especially of poor girls from the Kawra community |
| 30 | Increasing women’s participation in water management in Khulna | NGO Foundation, Bangladesh | 2009-10 | Reducing pressure on underground water especially in February-April when levels are low |
| 31 | Improved technology in saline-tolerant agriculture | International Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh | 2009-12 | Familiarising farmers withmodern techniques and technology for cultivating saline-tolerant agriculture |
| 32 | Enhancing urban poor’s understanding of water, sanitation and hygiene | Nice Foundation | 2010-11 | Increasing knowledge about safe water, sanitation and hygiene among the urban poor and in slum areas |
| 33 | The role of floodplain community-based organisations in coping with risk | The Business Growth Fund, Middlesex University, UK | 2010-12 | Research to understand how community organisations’ decisions are influenced by perceived risks in relation to disaster planning |
| 34 | Research on professional beggars in Khulna | Nice Foundation | 2010 | Research to understand better the reasons for begging in Khulna and making recommendations for how it can be reduced through meeting beggars’ individual needs |
| 35 | Improvement of sanitation and drinking water | Qatar Charity | 2010-11 | Ensuring access to safe water and sanitation facilities at affordable costs in south-west Bangladesh |
| 36 | Community-based bio-diversity management project | Probartana/UBI NIG NGOs, Bangladesh | 2011-12 | Increasing awareness of climate change and needs to protect theeco-system |
| 37 | Combating the trafficking of dalit women and children | Danida through Rights Jessore, Bangladesh | 2007-10 | Increasing awareness of women and children trafficking and jointly working with government and other concerned groups on the issue |
| 38 | Livelihood development and professional rightsof the Kawra pig-rearing community | Global Fund for Women, USA | 2008-09 | Assessing the socio-economic condition of the Kawrapig-rearing community so that a concrete strategy can be developed for the alleviation of poverty. |
| 39 | Ensuring primary healthcare, water and sanitation for the dalit Kawra community | NGO Foundation, Bangladesh | 2007-08 | Reducing mortality rates by increasing awareness of public health, water, sanitation and nutrition. |
| 40 | End-line Study on Support to Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char in the Education and WASH Sectors Project | Global Affairs of Canada.
| 04-23 Oct- 2023 | Awareness on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and education. |
| 41 | Feasibility Study on “From Climate Vulnerability to Climate Resilience in Bangladesh” | Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany.
| 13 Apr 2021-02 May 2021
| Assess climate change vulnerability (exposure, sensitivity, impact, and adaptive capacity) through regional workshops and expert consultation in Bangladesh's flood, drought, and saline-prone areas |
| 42 | Assessment of Farmers' Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in Southwestern Coastal Area of Bangladesh | International Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh.
| 16 Dec 2015-30 Apr 2016
| Assess the climate change vulnerability (exposure, sensitivity, impact, and adaptive capacity) to climate change through workshops and public consultation in saline-prone southwestern coastal Bangladesh. |
| 43 | Provided technical support to the ‘Development and Integration of Sustainable Aquaculture – DISA’ project jointly implemented by SNA and IFB at Contai, East Medinipur, WB, India.
| Solidaridad Network Asia (Netherlands)-Bangladesh
| April 2016 To Nov. 2017
| The project farmers are facilitated in developing public-private institutional relations to address social and environmental issues on their farms in line with the national and international standards to increase the upward potential of the shrimp business and to develop an inclusive supply chain. |
| 44 | Final Evaluation on Empowering Poor and Marginalized People Affected by Disability Project funded by the DFID. | Digitex Consultants Limited | 01 Jul-30 Sep 2016
| Final Evaluation on Empowering Poor and Marginalized People Affected by Disability. |
| 45 | Evaluation Report of the Project Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to DRR Project. | Practical Action | June 2009
| Community-based DRR, reduces vulnerability and builds resilience. |
| 46 | Assessment of Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) to Identify Gaps, Barriers, and
| Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
| 15 February 2022 to 15 July 2022 | The overall objective of this assessment was to identify and analyze the existing gaps and barriers to strengthening the Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP)s for ensuring the effective nutrition governance. |
| 47 | Baseline Study for the Education Intervention for Rohingya Refugees in the Rohingya Camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. | Prantic Unnayan Society | From 09 February 2024 to 08 March 2024, | The purpose of the baseline survey is to capture the base values of this project against the indicators of the resulting framework.
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| 48 | Baseline study on Sustainable and Inclusive Livelihood Support for Rohingya Refugees in Cox’s Bazar" at Ukhia Upazila in Cox’s Bazar | Shushilan | From 09 February 2024 to 08 March 2024 | Enhance the economic well-being of beneficiaries by facilitating improvement in livelihoods |
Way ForwardNice Foundation, March 2024
[1] Research Initiatives Bangladesh is a non-governmental, non-profit-making research-support agency, registered under the Companies Act 1994 of Bangladesh. Its Board of Directors is composed of seven eminent citizens of Bangladesh with a rich and varied background in education, research and international affairs: http://www.rib-bangladesh.org/
[2] Thi16s list is ordered with current and most recent projects at the beginning
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